The Vitamin Manufacturing Process

Vitamins are organic compounds that are needed to make the body function properly. Vitamins are used to prevent disease, as well as help the body grow and fight off a number of syndromes and conditions. There are thirteen main vitamins that have been listed as being necessary for daily bodily functions, and there are plenty more vitamins and minerals that compliment a healthy lifestyle as well. There are many brands of vitamins on the market, but the vitamin manufacturing process can sometimes vary.

Main Vitamin Types

The thirteen vitamins that are recommended for healthy bodily function include vitamins A, D, C, E, K and the B vitamins group, which contains an additional eight vitamins. While much is known about what each vitamin does once it is consumed, there are many functions not yet understood. The main vitamin list can be found in both animal and plant sources. The vitamin manufacturing process can also synthetically produce these vitamins for supplementation form. There is a recommended daily allowance of these thirteen vitamins.

Materials

Different vitamin manufacturing companies use different ingredients and processes to create their products. Some brands may include vitamin A in their product and use fish oils to create the vitamin A. Other processes may use a synthetic form. Vitamin C can be included from citrus or even rose hips. You will find that the majority of your commercial vitamins are synthetic, as synthetic ingredients are more cost-effective and simpler to produce. The product will also typically have a longer shelf life.

Additives

Aside from the ingredients in a vitamin that are used to make the vitamins present in a product, there are other additives that are used for a variety of purposes. Filler materials such as lactose, calcium and malto-dextrin are used to make the product have more bulk or weight to it. Magnesium stearate is added as a lubricant, and starch is also often added to help the vitamin disintegrate when consumed. There may also be a flavoring included to make the vitamin taste better, especially if it is a chewable version for a child.

The Process

A vitamin manufacturing company will usually buy the raw materials from their main source. At this point, they learn the overall potency of the ingredients and can come up with their formula. The ingredients will even be tested to confirm the potency or to ensure there isn’t any bacterial contamination.

The raw materials will already come in powder form and are then weighed and portioned out. The additives or fillers are then added to the mixture, and everything is mixed together thoroughly. A vitamin manufacturing plant will typically test the batch at different locations in the mixer to make sure the levels of each vitamin are consistent throughout. It is then that the mixture will go through the encapsulation process to create the vitamin pills. If capsules are not being used, the vitamin mixture will be compressed into tablets.

While we do not know how much of each vitamin should be consumed on a daily basis for supplementation purposes, we do know how important these vitamins are to the human diet. We also understand the benefits of each specific vitamin, such as how vitamin A is wonderful for healthy eyes. Vitamin C is used for optimal immune function.